New Zealand

Checklist of Endemic Bird Species

This list of bird species found exclusively in New Zealand is based on the taxonomy used in del Hoyo & Collar (2014 & 2016). The source list based on the December 2017 update is available online here. For further details on possible inaccuracies in the list see Sources & Caveats.

del Hoyo, J. & N.J. Collar HBW and BirdLife International Illustrated Checklist of the Birds of the World. 2014 Vol. 1: Non-passerines & 2016 Vol. 2: Passerines. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona.

Additional species recognized after the HBW-BirdLife December 2017 update or considered valid by other major checklists are listed at the bottom of the page.

Apteryx haastii  (Struthioniformes Apterygidae)  Great Spotted Kiwi

Apteryx owenii  (Struthioniformes Apterygidae)  Little Spotted Kiwi

Apteryx mantelli  (Struthioniformes Apterygidae)  North Island Brown Kiwi

Apteryx australis  (Struthioniformes Apterygidae)  Southern Brown Kiwi

Apteryx rowi  (Struthioniformes Apterygidae)  Okarito Kiwi

Coturnix novaezelandiae  (Galliformes Phasianidae)  New Zealand Quail  (Extinct)

Mergus australis  (Anseriformes Anatidae)  Auckland Merganser  (Extinct)

Tadorna variegata  (Anseriformes Anatidae)  Paradise Shelduck

Chenonetta finschi  (Anseriformes Anatidae)  Finsch's Duck  (Extinct)

Hymenolaimus malacorhynchos  (Anseriformes Anatidae)  Blue Duck

Aythya novaeseelandiae  (Anseriformes Anatidae)  New Zealand Scaup

Anas chlorotis  (Anseriformes Anatidae)  Brown Teal

Anas aucklandica  (Anseriformes Anatidae)  Auckland Teal

Anas nesiotis  (Anseriformes Anatidae)  Campbell Teal

Poliocephalus rufopectus  (Podicipediformes Podicipedidae)  New Zealand Grebe

Hemiphaga novaeseelandiae  (Columbiformes Columbidae)  New Zealand Pigeon

Hemiphaga chathamensis  (Columbiformes Columbidae)  Chatham Pigeon

Urodynamis taitensis  (Cuculiformes Cuculidae)  Long-tailed Koel  (Breeding)

Lewinia muelleri  (Gruiformes Rallidae)  Auckland Rail

Gallirallus australis  (Gruiformes Rallidae)  Weka

Diaphorapteryx hawkinsi  (Gruiformes Rallidae)  Hawkins's Rail  (Extinct)

Cabalus modestus  (Gruiformes Rallidae)  Chatham Rail  (Extinct)

Hypotaenidia dieffenbachii  (Gruiformes Rallidae)  Dieffenbach's Rail  (Extinct)

Porphyrio mantelli  (Gruiformes Rallidae)  North Island Takahe  (Extinct)

Porphyrio hochstetteri  (Gruiformes Rallidae)  South Island Takahe

Tribonyx hodgenorum  (Gruiformes Rallidae)  Hodgen's Waterhen  (Extinct)

Eudyptes sclateri  (Sphenisciformes Spheniscidae)  Erect-crested Penguin

Eudyptes pachyrhynchus  (Sphenisciformes Spheniscidae)  Fiordland Penguin

Eudyptes robustus  (Sphenisciformes Spheniscidae)  Snares Penguin

Megadyptes antipodes  (Sphenisciformes Spheniscidae)  Yellow-eyed Penguin

Fregetta maoriana  (Procellariiformes Oceanitidae)  New Zealand Storm-petrel  (Breeding)

Diomedea sanfordi  (Procellariiformes Diomedeidae)  Northern Royal Albatross  (Breeding)

Diomedea epomophora  (Procellariiformes Diomedeidae)  Southern Royal Albatross  (Breeding)

Diomedea antipodensis  (Procellariiformes Diomedeidae)  Antipodean Albatross  (Breeding)

Thalassarche impavida  (Procellariiformes Diomedeidae)  Campbell Albatross  (Breeding)

Thalassarche bulleri  (Procellariiformes Diomedeidae)  Buller's Albatross  (Breeding)

Thalassarche steadi  (Procellariiformes Diomedeidae)  White-capped Albatross  (Breeding)

Thalassarche eremita  (Procellariiformes Diomedeidae)  Chatham Albatross  (Breeding)

Pterodroma cookii  (Procellariiformes Procellariidae)  Cook's Petrel  (Breeding)

Pterodroma pycrofti  (Procellariiformes Procellariidae)  Pycroft's Petrel  (Breeding)

Pterodroma axillaris  (Procellariiformes Procellariidae)  Chatham Petrel  (Breeding)

Pterodroma inexpectata  (Procellariiformes Procellariidae)  Mottled Petrel  (Breeding)

Pterodroma magentae  (Procellariiformes Procellariidae)  Magenta Petrel  (Breeding)

Pterodroma gouldi  (Procellariiformes Procellariidae)  Grey-faced Petrel  (Breeding)

Procellaria westlandica  (Procellariiformes Procellariidae)  Westland Petrel  (Breeding)

Procellaria parkinsoni  (Procellariiformes Procellariidae)  Black Petrel  (Breeding)

Ardenna bulleri  (Procellariiformes Procellariidae)  Buller's Shearwater  (Breeding)

Puffinus gavia  (Procellariiformes Procellariidae)  Fluttering Shearwater  (Breeding)

Puffinus huttoni  (Procellariiformes Procellariidae)  Hutton's Shearwater  (Breeding)

Ixobrychus novaezelandiae  (Pelecaniformes Ardeidae)  New Zealand Little Bittern  (Extinct)

Phalacrocorax carunculatus  (Suliformes Phalacrocoracidae)  Rough-faced Shag

Phalacrocorax chalconotus  (Suliformes Phalacrocoracidae)  Stewart Shag

Phalacrocorax onslowi  (Suliformes Phalacrocoracidae)  Chatham Shag

Phalacrocorax campbelli  (Suliformes Phalacrocoracidae)  Campbell Shag

Phalacrocorax ranfurlyi  (Suliformes Phalacrocoracidae)  Bounty Shag

Phalacrocorax colensoi  (Suliformes Phalacrocoracidae)  Auckland Shag

Phalacrocorax punctatus  (Suliformes Phalacrocoracidae)  Spotted Shag

Phalacrocorax featherstoni  (Suliformes Phalacrocoracidae)  Pitt Shag

Haematopus chathamensis  (Charadriiformes Haematopodidae)  Chatham Oystercatcher

Haematopus unicolor  (Charadriiformes Haematopodidae)  Variable Oystercatcher

Himantopus novaezelandiae  (Charadriiformes Recurvirostridae)  Black Stilt

Charadrius aquilonius  (Charadriiformes Charadriidae)  Northern Red-breasted Plover

Charadrius obscurus  (Charadriiformes Charadriidae)  Southern Red-breasted Plover

Charadrius bicinctus  (Charadriiformes Charadriidae)  Double-banded Plover  (Breeding)

Thinornis novaeseelandiae  (Charadriiformes Charadriidae)  Shore Plover

Anarhynchus frontalis  (Charadriiformes Charadriidae)  Wrybill

Coenocorypha pusilla  (Charadriiformes Scolopacidae)  Chatham Snipe

Coenocorypha iredalei  (Charadriiformes Scolopacidae)  South Island Snipe  (Extinct)

Coenocorypha huegeli  (Charadriiformes Scolopacidae)  Snares Island Snipe

Coenocorypha aucklandica  (Charadriiformes Scolopacidae)  Auckland Snipe

Coenocorypha barrierensis  (Charadriiformes Scolopacidae)  North Island Snipe  (Extinct)

Larus bulleri  (Charadriiformes Laridae)  Black-billed Gull

Chlidonias albostriatus  (Charadriiformes Laridae)  Black-fronted Tern

Sceloglaux albifacies  (Strigiformes Strigidae)  Laughing Owl  (Extinct)

Falco novaeseelandiae  (Falconiformes Falconidae)  New Zealand Falcon

Strigops habroptila  (Psittaciformes Strigopidae)  Kakapo

Nestor notabilis  (Psittaciformes Strigopidae)  Kea

Nestor meridionalis  (Psittaciformes Strigopidae)  New Zealand Kaka

Cyanoramphus unicolor  (Psittaciformes Psittacidae)  Antipodes Parakeet

Cyanoramphus forbesi  (Psittaciformes Psittacidae)  Chatham Parakeet

Cyanoramphus auriceps  (Psittaciformes Psittacidae)  Yellow-fronted Parakeet

Cyanoramphus malherbi  (Psittaciformes Psittacidae)  Malherbe's Parakeet

Acanthisitta chloris  (Passeriformes Acanthisittidae)  Rifleman

Xenicus longipes  (Passeriformes Acanthisittidae)  Bushwren  (Extinct)

Xenicus gilviventris  (Passeriformes Acanthisittidae)  New Zealand Rockwren

Traversia lyalli  (Passeriformes Acanthisittidae)  Stephens Island Rockwren  (Extinct)

Prosthemadera novaeseelandiae  (Passeriformes Meliphagidae)  Tui

Anthornis melanura  (Passeriformes Meliphagidae)  New Zealand Bellbird

Anthornis melanocephala  (Passeriformes Meliphagidae)  Chatham Bellbird  (Extinct)

Gerygone igata  (Passeriformes Acanthizidae)  Grey Gerygone

Gerygone albofrontata  (Passeriformes Acanthizidae)  Chatham Gerygone

Mohoua albicilla  (Passeriformes Mohouidae)  Whitehead

Mohoua ochrocephala  (Passeriformes Mohouidae)  Yellowhead

Mohoua novaeseelandiae  (Passeriformes Mohouidae)  Pipipi

Turnagra tanagra  (Passeriformes Oriolidae)  North Island Piopio  (Extinct)

Turnagra capensis  (Passeriformes Oriolidae)  South Island Piopio  (Extinct)

Rhipidura fuliginosa  (Passeriformes Rhipiduridae)  New Zealand Fantail

Callaeas wilsoni  (Passeriformes Callaeidae)  North Island Kokako

Callaeas cinereus  (Passeriformes Callaeidae)  South Island Kokako  (Extinct?)

Philesturnus rufusater  (Passeriformes Callaeidae)  North Island Saddleback

Philesturnus carunculatus  (Passeriformes Callaeidae)  South Island Saddleback

Heteralocha acutirostris  (Passeriformes Callaeidae)  Huia  (Extinct)

Notiomystis cincta  (Passeriformes Notiomystidae)  Stitchbird

Petroica macrocephala  (Passeriformes Petroicidae)  New Zealand Tomtit

Petroica dannefaerdi  (Passeriformes Petroicidae)  Snares Tomtit

Petroica traversi  (Passeriformes Petroicidae)  Black Robin

Petroica longipes  (Passeriformes Petroicidae)  North Island Robin

Petroica australis  (Passeriformes Petroicidae)  South Island Robin

Poodytes punctatus  (Passeriformes Locustellidae)  New Zealand Fernbird

Poodytes caudatus  (Passeriformes Locustellidae)  Snares Fernbird

Poodytes rufescens  (Passeriformes Locustellidae)  Chatham Fernbird  (Extinct)

The following additional species were recognized after the HBW-BirdLife December 2017 update. These 2 species added to the 111 listed above total 113 endemic bird species for New Zealand.

Haematopus finschi  (Charadriiformes Haematopodididae)  South Island Oystercatcher

Pelecanoides whenuahouensis  (Procellariiformes Procellaridae)  Whenua Hou Diving-petrel

The following additional endemic species are not recognized as distinct by HBW-BirdLife but are considered valid by one or more of the following checklists: eBird/Clements v2019 (Cornell) = 1, IOC 10.1 (IOC) = 2, and Howard & Moore 4.1 (TAS) = 3. (# indicates a species that is considered endemic due to a different concept of species boundaries as a result of splits than is used for the animal with the same scientific name in the HBW-BirdLife checklist)

Leucocarbo stewarti  (Suliformes Phalacrocoracidae)  Foveaux Shag  2

Cyanoramphus hochstetteri  (Psittaciformes Psittacidae)  Reischek's Parakeet  12

Cyanoramphus novaezelandiae #  (Psittaciformes Psittacidae)  Red-fronted Parakeet  123

Anthus novaeseelandiae #  (Passeriformes Motacillidae)  New Zealand Pipit  23

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